Hundreds of items abandoned in state treasurer’s office vault soon up for auction

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OKLAHOMA CITY – Hundreds of valuable items abandoned in the Oklahoma State Treasurer’s office vault will soon be up for auction.

“It’s kind of a historical moment,” said Randy McDaniel, the Oklahoma state treasurer.

For the very first time, the state treasurer’s office will be moving out of the capitol for an extended period of time due to ongoing construction. Before they move though, they’re trying to get rid of 600 safe deposit boxes filled with currency dating back to the 1800s.

There is also a football that appears to be signed by NFL quarterback Steve Young and memorabilia signed by NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal.

It’ll all be up for auction next week.

“These are safety deposit boxes that have been abandoned and, after five years, they go to the unclaimed property division. And, it should be noted that all of the proceeds will be held in trusts for the rightful owner to still be able to claim,” McDaniel said.

One of the reasons the state treasurer’s office holds the auctions is due to limited space in their vault.

“The day before the auction, you can come and visit and look at all the items. The state treasurer people will be there along with us,” said Louis Dakil with Dakil Auctioneers.

Registration will also take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. that Thursday, June 27 and from 8 to 9 a.m. the next day, which is the day of the auction.